Kalanchoe plant named ‘Dark Jodie’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Dark Jodie’, characterized by its compact, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth habit; medium-sized dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; double red purple-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana×Kalanchoe laciniata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Dark Jodie’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofKalanchoe, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana×Kalanchoelaciniata, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dark Jodie’.

The new Kalanchoe is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of theKalanchoe blossfeldiana×Kalanchoe laciniata cultivar Jodie, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,980. The cultivar Dark Jodie was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within a populationof plants of the cultivar Jodie in a controlled environment in Hinnerup,Denmark in February, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled environment in Hinnerup, Denmark since April,2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Dark Jodie has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dark Jodie’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Dark Jodie’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofKalanchoe:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth        habit.    -   2. Medium-sized dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Double red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the parent, thecultivar Jodie. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of thecultivar Jodie in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than plants of        the cultivar Jodie.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have slightly smaller flowers        than plants of the cultivar Jodie.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have fewer petals per flower than        plants of the cultivar Jodie.    -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the cultivar Jodie differ in        flower color as plants of the cultivar Jodie have soft        pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoeblossfeldiana×Kalanchoe laciniata cultivar Purple Jodie, disclosed inU.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/006,220, filed concurrently.Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the cultivar PurpleJodie in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are smaller than plants of the        cultivar Purple Jodie.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower about four days earlier        than plants of the cultivar Purple Jodie.    -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the cultivar Purple Jodie        differ in flower color.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoeblossfeldiana cultivar Dark Cora, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,938. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hinnerup, Denmark,plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar DarkCora in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had slightly smaller flowers than        plants of the cultivar Dark Cora.    -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had double flowers whereas plants        of the cultivar Dark Cora had single flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Kalanchoe, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Kalanchoe.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Dark Jodie’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises close-up views of atypical inflorescence, upper and side perspective views of typicalflowers, and typical vegetative and generative leaves of ‘Dark Jodie’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Hinnerup, Denmark in a glass-coveredgreenhouse during the summer and under conditions which closelyapproximate commercial production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures were about 19° C., night temperatures were about 21° C.and light levels ranged from 10 kilolux to 50 kilolux. Unrooted cuttingswere directly stuck in 10-cm containers and received long day/shortnight conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about two weeks;plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions(minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were about twelveweeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In thedetailed description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana×Kalanchoe    laciniata cultivar Dark Jodie.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Kalanchoe    blossfeldiana×Kalanchoe laciniata cultivar Jodie, disclosed in U.S.    Plant Pat. No. 17,980.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at            temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at            temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days            at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright, uniform and moderately            vigorous growth habit. Very freely flowering with numerous            compound cymes. Inverted triangle with rounded crown.            Moderately vigorous growth habit. Appropriate for 6-cm to            10-cm containers.        -   Plant height at flowering.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 22 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Usually about eight to ten lateral branches            develop per plant. Pinching (removal of the terminal apex)            is not required but will enhance lateral branch development.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 12 cm to 14 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.        -   Aspect.—Erect.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—137A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.        -   Length, vegetative plants.—About 5 cm to 12 cm.        -   Width, vegetative plants.—About 6 cm to 8 cm.        -   Length, generative plants.—About 5 cm to 12 cm.        -   Width, generative plants.—About 2 cm to 6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, leathery;            succulent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            139A; towards the margins, 144A; venation, 139A. Developing            and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 138A; venation,            138A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 5            mm to 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 139A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double flowers arranged singly            in compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf axils.            Uniform and freely flowering habit with usually about 15 to            60 flowers per inflorescence. Flowers not persistent.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe            initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night            conditions or during the late autumn/winter/early spring.            Flower initiation and development can also be induced under            artificial short day/long night conditions (at least 14            hours of darkness).        -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive            conditions, about 74 days are required. Actual time to            flower is primarily dependent upon temperature and light            intensity.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance            for about six weeks under interior environmental conditions.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 14 cm to 18 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm to 7 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm to 2 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 5 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Lanceolate to ellipsoidal. Length: About            1.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Color: 144A tinted            with N66B.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: About 16 to 24 fused at the base.            Length (largest petals): About 9 mm. Width (largest petals):            About 6 mm. Aspect: Slightly upright to eventually recurved.            Shape: Broadly elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: N66B; color            becoming closer to N66C with development. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: 65D slightly tinted with 65A.        -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four fused at the base. Length: About            7 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower            surfaces: 143A. Color, mature, upper surface: 143A. Color,            mature, lower surface: 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 0.5 cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 2            mm to 4 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 60° from vertical.            Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm to 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Aspect: Erect to about 90° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About four            to six per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther size:            About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 20B. Amount of            pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 20A. Gynoecium:            Pistil number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About            3 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 145A. Stigma            shape: Round. Stigma color: 145C. Ovary color: Close to            138A.        -   Seed.—Quantity per flower: About 10 to 30. Length: Less than            1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color, immature: 145B.            Color, mature: 177A.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Kalanchoes.

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Dark Jodie’ as illustratedand described.